Cleaning machine



July 12, 1960 R. c. MENENDEZ 2,944,272

' CLEANING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. EMMA/0 6 Mam 052 (3. law

tr I

tion inpracticea u Patented July 12,1950

United sates Pmwfice Raymond c; Menendez, 184-= 55=Tudor Road; Jamaica, N.Y. 1

Filed,Oct..4, 1955, Ser,}No.'l538,364 11 Claims. or. 15-50 Thepresent invention relates to brushing and scrubbing machines characterized herein as cleaning machines of the type used for scrubbing or-polishing floors, shampooing rugs and the like or performing similar operations and, more particularly, to an improved applicator head for performing the desired 7 cleaning operations which line7-7onFig.6; I Refeming-tothe drawing'in detail andmoreparticularly Fig. 5 isa sectional view taken along theline-5-5 onFig.2. I

Fig. 6 is an enlargedsectional viewtaken along the line 6'--6 on*Fig, 3. r g a F Fig; 7= is-afragmentary planview taken along the to -'Figs.- 1: andz thereof, a mobile cleaning machine is shown which generally comprises aframe-10; an electric motor 11- mountedon the frame; an applicator-head lz rotatably suspended by theframe and arranged for rotation by-the motor, carriage means, such as a roller' 14 for supporting the frame for movement across thesurface to which thehead is applied, and a handle 15- on theframe for moving themachine across such-surfacez As'shown inFigs. 2, 3- and 4, the head 'lz comprises 5 inner and outerbasins, receptacles, shells, or generally headis constructed'and arranged todispensealiquid-used VI in conjunction with such operations.

Heretofore, cleaning machines ofsuch character have been employed but thesewere not-entirely satisfactory because the liquid wasnot dispensed at a-predetermined rate and the dispensed liquid: was not uniformly distributedthroughout the applicator means-of the-head;

Accordingly, an object of-the present invention isto provide an improved applicator-head for, cleaning-imachines which overcomes the foregoing difliculties and disadvantages.-

Another objectisto provide head whereinthe liquid used is dispensed at ametered rate. 1

Another object'is to provide such aheadgwhereinlthe l-iquid used' is uniformly distributed throughouhthel appli cator means iofthehead. I 1 I L ,Anotherobjectis to provide such ahead wherein't'he rateat which the liquid is dispensedcan beadjusted to tions.

comply with requirements for particular cleaningtoperat- A further-object'consists in-the construction and;ar-

rangement of thehead whereby the foregoing objects .may be achieved in asimple and: economical" manner. a

cup shaped sections 16 and- 17, respectively, with the inner basin nested within and encased by the outer-basin to provide a space therebetween. This isaccomplished" by providing the outer basin with an inwardly and prefer,-

' ably upwardlyextending flange 18 and by providing the inner basin with an-outwardly and preferably downwardly extending-flange 19 adapted to-rest on the flange 18 and thereby support the inner basin within the outer basin; As-illustratcd herein, the flange'18- is just below the-lip of the-outer basin and the-flange 19* is at the lip of the inner basin. I i V I A cover-20 is attachedto the lip of-theouterbasin-and is spaced from the lip of: the inner basin. :The :cover is provided witlra filling openiug21: which communicates A with-the innerba'sin and is norma y 3 P apertures 24 for receiving-liquid from the inner chamber;

Other and further'objects williwbe obvious: upon an understanding oftheaillustrative-embodiment aboutato be described, or will beindicated 'inl'the appended claims} and various advantages not referred-: to herein will occur to one skilled r in- -theart upon employment. of' -the .inven In accordance with the present invention, theioreg going objects aregenerally accomplished by providing a therate at which it is=dispensedithroughi the apertures-.24

rotatabIe applicatQr head whichcomprises an outer chamber for dispensingthe-. liquid adjfiwnllthe applicator means -an. inner chamber serving asa-reservoinfor the liquid, fandaper't'ure means th'fofigh which theJiquid is adapted to be metered from the inner chamber, togthe outer chamber by centrifuging thelliquid rotatiori;of;the head. i g Ar pref d "embodiment of"the iriye ntion has belen chosen for purposes of illiistratiomand description andgis Fig. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating a cleaning machine of the type adapted for utilizing the present invention in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, partly in elevation and partly in section.-

.Qih the'accompanyin'g drawing, forming agpgrtof lathering or "dispensing the liquid and: conducting the liquidzto theapertures-24.

*Whenthe head-'isrotated by-the motor 11; the liquid in 'theinner chamber: is centrifuged upwardly: and out wardly and flows across the lip of theinner basintinto theannular trough providediby the-flanges} Thusfinac- 5.0. cordauce with the present invention, this-liquidis metered from the inner chamber to-the: outer: chamber, whereby can bemaintained at adcsireduiniform value; is accomplished-by providing the flanges'l8sand'l9zwithpne or: more registering: apertures. 26-. Four of: such apera tures, spaced lequidis nt yand, ir umferential yr are-pro: videdzonaeachflange y' v y' -qfez amp and'thefianges;

re rra g1 o a n h apert fi in esi rr- The u h men e e h a s'is -l n t as r s steady; supplyofrliquid: to .the apertures 16., n

- If,des.ire he u r h mber: may. e, ompar men ed withat'least one aperture 24 (but preferably a group of such apertures) serving as an outlet for each compartment, and one set of the apertures 26 serving as an inlet for each compartment. This is accomplished by mounting radial ribs 27 between the inner and outer basins,

four of such ribs being shown by way of example. These ribs may end short of the center of rotation of the basins,

as shown, to provide baffles which permit communication between the compartments or may meet at such center to completely isolate each compartment.

aasaa'ze pensing action is promoted, swirling of the liquid in the outer chamber is minimized: whereby downward flow to the dispensing apertures is induced and the liquid ismore evenly distributed through the applicator means; 3, i 'As shown in Figs.1-2 and '5; rotation fot the head l12zby means of the motor 11 is efiected throughaslip; clutch 30. 1 {As previously indica-tedherein, it is'desirable to'vary or adjust the rate at which the liquid is; metered from the inner chamber to theiouter chamber, because the rate at which-the liquid is to be dispensed may vary with the particular liquid used orthe operation to be performed. This is accomplished by resting the flange. 19 on the flange 18 in amanner to permit slight rotative movement between the flanges, so that theeflective opening provided by'registering apertures26 can be varied.

Asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, such adjustment can be per: formed exteriorly of the head 12 byproviding a short circumferential slot 31 in the cover Ztland securing an element' to the inner basin, for example to its flange 19, which element has a portion 32 extending outwardly of the slot adapted for manual engagement.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a novel and practical applicator head for cleaning machines of the class described. The head is relatviely simple in constructiornis economical to manufacture, and can endure such vigorous use to which it may be subjected. The head is constructed and arranged so that the cover can. be removed and the inner and outer basins canv be taken'apart for complete and thorough cleaning.

. Asvarious changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement ofthe parts herein, without departing'fr'om the spirit and scope'of the invention-and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matters areto be-interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

1 What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable applicator head comprising a generally concave inner section providing a chamber for a liquid to be applied, a generally concave outer. section encasing said inner section and spaced therefrom 'toprovide achamber between said sections, said sections being movable with respect to each other,:a cover for said outer section, an annular. flange on each of said inner and outer sections having registerable openings therein for metering liquid from the on the exterior of said outer basin, said outer basin having openings in the bottom thereof.

4. An applicator head according to claim 3, wherein said flange on said outer basin extends upwardly and said flange on said inner basin extends downwardly.

5. An applicator head according to claim 3, wherein radial ribs are disposcdgbetwee'n said inner and outer said cover has a; slot and an element is secured to said outwardly extendingfiange and projects through said slot to provide means for efiecting adjustment of said aperture means.

8. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable applicator head comprising an outer shell having an in wardly extending flange spaced adjacently from its rim and provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures, a cover for saidouter shell, an inner shell within said outer shell and spaced therefrom having an outwardly extending flange at its rim disposed on said other flange for relative rotative movement between said flanges and provided with aplurality of apertures adapted to register with the apertures of said other flange, means on said inner shell and accessible exteriorly for adjusting the position of said inner. shell to vary the effective opening provided by said registering apertures, and applicator means onthe exterior of said outer shell, said outer shell having openings adjacentsaid applicator means.

2 9.- An applicator head according to claim 8,. including I a normally closed filling opening for said inner shell.

inner chamber to the outerchamber, and applicator means on the exterior of said outer section, said outer section: having aperture means for dispensing-liquid from the outer chamber. 2. An applicator head according'to'claim 1, wherein said flanges areconstructed and arranged to. adjust the effective area of said metering openings. 1 a

3. In a machine of the class described, a rotatable applicator head comprising anouter. basin having. atits upper rim an inwardlyextending. flange providedwith aperture'means, a cover for said outer basin, an. inner basin within said outer basin and spaced therefrom and from said cover, said inner basin having at its upper rim anoutwardly extending flange resting against said inwardly extending flange and being provided with aperture means adapted to register with said aperture means of said inwardly extending flange,v and applicator" means 10. An applicator head according to claim 8, wherein said. flanges are inclined upwardly from the outer shell to the" inner shell to provide an annular trough between saidshellsi.

-11. In a rotatable applicator, the combination with a motor and a brush rotated by said motor, of a reservoir adapted to be rotated by' said motor and adapted tocontain. aisupply :of liquid therein, a laterally projecting flange atan: upper edge of said reservoir having openings therein, means connected to the; openings forming a passageway for-said liquidbetweensaid'reservoir and said. brush, and means interconnecting said motor and said reservoir, whereby upon rotation of said reservoir by'said motor the liquid is centrifuged through said openings alongsaid T passageway into said brush.

ReferencesCitedtin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,868;0O6" Tingley Jan. 13, 1959 

